The NZX 50 fell 27 points, or 0.2%, to 13,530 in Friday morning deals, erasing gains from the previous day after Q4 inflation accelerated, raising expectations that the RBNZ will hold interest rates steady over the medium term. Fresh data showed that New Zealand's annual inflation edged up to 3.1% in Q4, marking the highest level since Q2 2024. Earlier, the RBNZ had cut its official cash rate by a total of 100 bps since August 2025 to support the economy. Traders also anticipated the release of consumer and business confidence data next week, after both improved in the previous month. However, an upbeat session on Wall Street overnight capped the decline, helped by easing global tensions and solid US domestic data. Financials, energy, and communication services mainly dragged the index, with notable losses from Fletcher Building (-1.3%), Infratil (-1.3%), and Briscoe Group (-1.0%). For the week, the index is heading for a 1.4% fall, which would be the first weekly decline in a month.